MOSCOW: Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran as “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state,” demanding an immediate halt to the military campaign and a return to diplomacy.

In a statement posted to Telegram, the ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran's nuclear programme while pursuing regime change.

It warned the attacks risked triggering a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” in the region and accused the US and Israel of “plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”

Moscow called the bombing of nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards “unacceptable” and said it stood ready to help broker a peaceful resolution, while placing full responsibility for the escalation on the United States and Israel.